1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to guns and gun supports. Specifically, the device relates to rifle stabilization and leveling equipment for increased accuracy and safety, and for reducing a gun user""s fatigue.
2. Related Art
A number of gun stabilizing devices exist for increasing projectile accuracy. These devices typically include a leg connected to the firearm stock about midway along the firearm length and extending down from the firearm to the ground or floor. These devices are intended to stabilize the firearm during targeting or firing. Noteworthy examples of the prior art include:
Helmstadter (U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,554) is an ADJUSTABLE GUN SUPPORT that includes a cradle that receives a front portion and a rear portion of the gun, and a pointed rod member which is inserted in the ground with the aid of a step-on member. The gun cradle may be raised or lowered vertically on the rod to elevate or lower the rifle.
The GUN REST proposed by Pickett (U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,614) depicts a mono-pod attached by a clamp to a rifle barrel at a position forward of the fore-stock. The leg of the monopod telescopes for raising or lowering the rifle barrel. The monopod pivots to be generally parallel to the rifle barrel for storage and pivots to be generally perpendicular to the barrel for stabilization of the rifle barrel. A user of this GUN REST collapses the telescoping leg for storage and resets the length of the telescoping leg when re-using the monopod after storage.
Brown (U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,706) also describes a telescoping FIREARM SUPPORT that attaches to a rifle""s fore-stock using a bolt located forward of the receiver.
Brubach (U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,995) adds a base plate to a mono-pod device.
Harris (U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,620) describes a BIPOD FOR A FIREARM which attaches to the forestock and has a pair of adjustable telescoping legs. The bipod legs maintain a strut mechanism with resilient properties for absorbing recoil forces.
Another category of gun support systems include more complex systems than most mono-pod or bi-pod systems, resulting in what may be called a cradle or a support frame with several legs. Cady (U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,057) SHOOTING SUPPORT FOR RIFLE and Cady (U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,135) SHOOTING SUPPORT FOR RIFLES AND HANDGUNS are exemplary of art in this category. These two devices provide a mechanical support mechanism that cradles the weapon upon a base that has both pivotal front support legs and a rear leg support. These stands may adjust to a number of positions that accommodate varying terrain and facilitate transport.
Buttstock rests are a third category of rifle stabilizers. Lombardo (U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,694) discloses a GUN REST FOR CONTROLLING THE BUTTSTOCK that has a U-shaped bracket that receives the butt of the gun stock. The U-shaped bracket terminates in a base member. It rigidly attaches to the butt vertical end surface. The device provides a mechanism to adjust buttstock elevation and a dampening pad reduces recoil forces.
Beltz (U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,560) is an ADJUSTABLE FIRE ARM SUPPORT that attaches to a sling stud mounted on the underside of a buttstock. A top end of a support rod has a pivotal clasp that engages the sling stud. A support leg can be rotated up or down on the lower threaded end of the support rod.
The present invention is a FIREARM LEVELER AND STABILIZER, hereafter also referred to as the xe2x80x9cleveler-stabilizer,xe2x80x9d that reduces rifle movement to improve shot groupings or accuracy and/or assists in leveling the rifle for precise aim or comfort. The leveler-stabilizer provides a rear support leg that, when used in conjunction with a front bi-pod, provides a simple, yet stable system that can also reduce fatigue of the user during aiming and waiting for the desired shot.
The leveler-stabilizer comprises preferably a single adjustable elongated member, that is preferably used along with a front support of some type, but that is not connected to the front support. The leveler-stabilizer has an adjustment system for lengthening or shortening the elongated member that features extremely fine-adjustment or xe2x80x9cfine-tuning.xe2x80x9d Most-preferably, the adjustment system comprises a turnbuckle.
The preferred leveler-stabilizer is a simple and effective device that, with a minimum of parts, addresses the need for a compact and reliable leveling and stabilizing device) especially for the rear end of the gun. The leveler-stabilizer includes, on one end, a pivotal connector that connects or attaches to the bottom surface of a rear portion of a gun, preferably to the bottom of the butt of the gun. The leveler-stabilizer includes, on its other end, a foot pad for resting on the ground or other surface. Between the connector and the foot pad is preferably an elongated leg comprising a single turnbuckle. The turnbuckle provides an adjustment means for extremely precise height-adjustment and leveling of the firearm. Also, the foot pad rests upon a supporting surface to support the firearm, and, when used with a bi-pod, to create a three-leg support system that allows the user to rest his arms rather than support the firearm for long periods of time while aiming and waiting. During the shot, the invented leveler-stabilizer increases stability during recoil.
The preferred device is constructed from three main components: a connector, a turnbuckle assembly, and a lower assembly. The preferred connector is a swivel assembly that is adapted to pivotally connect to a rear portion of a firearm. Preferably, the swivel assembly connects to a sling mount, such as a sling stud, which is often already provided on a gun buttstock for receiving one end of a gun sling.
The turnbuckle comprises two oppositely threaded ends that rotate on their axis in the turnbuckle body. One threaded rod of the turnbuckle assembly is connected to the swivel assembly, and the other oppositely-threaded rod of the turnbuckle assembly is connected to the lower assembly. The turnbuckle body connects, and is generally centrally located between, the two threaded ends.
The lower assembly comprises a foot pad that is pivotally connected to the lower end of the turnbuckle, that is, the lower threaded rod. The foot pad may have an optional sling attachment point, such as a sling eyelet, or similar opening, that allows a sling to be attached to the leveler-stabilizer instead of to the sling stud.
The invented device""s assembly may vary according to the equipment already placed upon the firearm. The most demanding installation will require placement of a sling mount onto or into the buttstock of a rifle or handgun. A swivel assembly with an attached turnbuckle is then attached to the sling mount. The swivel assembly preferably is pivotal at its point of connection to the sling mount and/or the top threaded rod of the turnbuckle. The swivel assembly may be integrally connected to the sling mount during manufacture.
The swivel assembly and the lower assembly are connected by the turnbuckle, and the turnbuckle is adjusted using clockwise and counterclockwise movements of the turnbuckle body about its axis. The clockwise or counterclockwise movement will depend on the direction of the male threading of the rods and the female threading of the turnbuckle. For example, the threading of the top rod may be right-threaded and the lower rod left-threaded, or, the threading may be reversed with the right-threaded rod attached to the lower assembly and the left-threaded rod attached to the swivel assembly.
The fully-assembled firearm leveler and stabilizer provides a means to rapidly adjust the elevation of the buttstock to sight a target. The rods and turnbuckle are pivoted to a generally perpendicular position relative to the longitudinal axis of the firearm, and the base of the foot pad is positioned parallel to a generally stable and planar surface. A bi-pod or other support is placed under the front of the firearm, so that the firearm is supported near both ends by two, preferably independently-adjustable supports. A gross adjustment typically is made before the firearm is set up on the bi-pod and the lever-stabilizer, followed by fine-tuning of the height of the buttstock by turning the turnbuckle clockwise or counterclockwise. A particularly beneficial feature of the invented leveler-stabilizer is that extremely accurate height-adjustment/leveling may be made after setting up the firearm in position for firing. The user may look through the scope at the target, for example, while adjusting the turnbuckle with one hand, and letting the other hand rest. The turnbuckle may be smoothly and slowly turned for very small adjustments, which assists in establishing very accurate projection upon firing.
When the user is done shooting, the leveler-stabilizer may be pivoted against the gun for storage or a sling may be attached to the leveler-stabilizer for carrying the combined gun plus leveler-stabilizer. The leveler-stabilizer stores parallel to the buttstock without necessarily any shortening of its length, which means that frequently the lever-stabilizer may be rapidly deployed again in a generally pre-adjusted state in similar physical environs, so that little or no fine-tuning is required.
The leveler-stabilizer advances the art of firearm use by (1) doubling the speed of stabilized buttstock elevation compared to a single-threaded device by providing a xe2x80x9cdouble-threadedxe2x80x9dadjustment (such as a turnbuckle), (2) requiring a minimal amount of attachment to the firearm itself and (3) providing for unintrusive storage and rapid deployment.